Given the rise of the use of smartphones and better Internet connectivity almost everywhere, local search has grown significantly, and most businesses today needs to optimize their online presence for local searches. Local SEO is all about providing relevant results to the searcher based on her location. If you input “best coffee house” in your search engine right now, the search engine will give you results closest to your location first. You want the same thing to happen when people search for your type of business.

More and more businesses are understanding the value of local SEO, and are now competing for the attention of local consumers using local SEO as part of their inbound marketing campaigns. This trend is only going to grow over the next couple of years, and local SEO is expected to be more impactful and important to businesses for the following reasons:

Google loves local businesses. One of the most widely-used search engines, Google has shown slight bias towards new, small, and agile companies. Even though Google ranking is mostly based on brand history and domain authority, the search engine is focused on giving people what they want.

Local search engine optimization enables small business owners with limited resources. There are many free tools available from Google and other software companies online that businesses can use to increase online visibility.

Search engines are all about individualized search results. Search engines work towards generating more specific results based on the person searching using predictive analytics and customized features. Information such as search history and geographical location are all-important to the results you see on search.

Mobile and wearable devices have increased the need for local search optimization. The popularity of smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology mean most searches are performed on the go. This makes proximity-based searches even more popular and more important to pay attention to.

If your business is not optimized for local search, best believe your competitor’s is. Nowadays a lot of businesses are competing for the same consumer base. Millions of sites are coming up; thousands of new businesses are established every day. Search visibility is becoming more challenging to achieve, and you have to work even harder to stand out at the top of those results.

How Amazon Home Services Cuts Through the Noise

Amazon Home Services provide a solution to that problem of getting found in your local market. Amazon’s latest offering allows individuals to browse through pre-packaged services with upfront prices from local professionals who offer services like home improvement, business & commercial, and automotive. The pool is much smaller here than in the greater ‘Net: if you’re only competing against, say 10 plumbing service providers found on Home Services, it’s easier to stand out than against hundreds found in local search results.

Because Amazon thoroughly vets all the professionals on their site, customers have more trust in your brand. Your business goes through a background check, and you have to maintain all the necessary professional licenses and certifications for your business.

Instead of fighting for consumer attention on the world wide web, Home Services is ideal for attracting organic traffic, since the consumer knows exactly where to find your business when she needs it. Imagine the tons of people who use Amazon all being able to access your business conveniently from the Amazon website, and all you have to do is make sure you provide top-notch services — it’s the ideal business situation!

How to Register for Amazon Home Services

Registering for Amazon Home Services has no complicated sign-up process. As long as your business meets the set criteria and clears the background check, you can start offering services on their website immediately.

There are no subscription fees or lead fees for using this service. Contractors (that’s you) only pay for jobs they have completed when the customer is charged for the service. A fraction of the service cost will go towards Amazon. This is what makes the service extremely convenient for service providers who need a platform to be seen by their customers but who don’t have the up-front money to “pay to play.” The service costs business owners between 5- 15% of the service charge paid by the client.

Is Amazon Looking for You?

Unfortunately not all types of businesses are available on Amazon Home Services. There are limited slots available in each category. The services are expanding into new cities, so there’s a decent chance you will be accepted when you apply.

Why Your Business Needs to be on Amazon Home Services

Amazon Home Services provides an affordable platform where you can leverage the traffic of Amazon, as well as its own SEO and ranking, to attract more business. If you still need some convincing, there are some interesting facts:

There are over fifty specialist services available for listing on Amazon

There are over 250 million Amazon users and 40 million Prime users who access the website regularly

Amazon net sales stand at over $100 billion

44% of web shoppers go directly to the Amazon website for product searches

51% of US shoppers plan on doing their online shopping at Amazon

Rather than working uphill to get to the top of Google local search results, why not throw your hat in the ring with Amazon Home Services? You’ve got nothing to lose and only new customers to gain!